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. 2017 Sep 5;14:782–788. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2017.08.052

Data on morphotectonic indices of Dashtekhak district, Iran

Ali Fadaie Kermani 1, Reza Derakhshani 1,⁎, Shahram Shafiei Bafti 1
PMCID: PMC5602883  PMID: 28948201

Abstract

Morphotectonic indices by representing the longer period of time than recorded earthquake data, are useful in evaluating the tectonic activity of a region. Dashtkhak area is located in Kerman province of Iran, where one of the most active faults, Kouhbanan strike slip fault, passes through. This data article provides a precise level data on mountain fronts and valleys of Dashtkhak region that is fundamental for morphotectonic investigations of the relationship among geomorphology and tectonic activity. This data is valuable in the field of geology and geography. Mountain fronts and valleys data is more relevant in the field of tectonics and geomorphology. It helps to evaluate a region from the viewpoint of tectonic activity. The data which are presented for 31 mountain fronts and 61 valleys, is taken by processing of remotely sensed Landsat satellite data, photogeology of areal photographs, measuring on topographic maps and controlled by field checking. This data is useful for calculating of some morphotectonic indices such as sinuosity of mountain fronts (smf), mountain front faceting percentage (Facet%), the ratio of valley floor width to valley height (Vf) and the valley ratio (V).

Keywords: Tectonics, Geomorphology, Morphometrics, Geology, Kerman

Specifications Table

Subject area Geology
More specific subject area Tectonics, Morphotectonics, Tectonic geomorphology
Type of data Table
How data was acquired Survey, Topographic maps, Photogeology, Field checking
Data format Raw, analyzed
Experimental factors Geometry of Mountain fronts and valleys
Experimental features Mountain fronts and valleys
Data source location Dashtekhak, Zarand, Iran.Latitude: 56°,19′ to 56°,48′ N & Longitude: 30°,46′ to 31°,14′ E
Data accessibility Data is available with this article.
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Value of the data

  • •

    The data provides a vivid vision about activity stage of Dashtekhak area.

  • •

    It helps to explain the impact of Kouhbanan fault segments on the activity of the area.

  • •

    Data can be utilized for quantitative analysis in the field of tectonic geomorphology and morphotectonics.

  • •

    Other researchers may utilize the data for their research work and further investigation.

1. Data

The data presented here describes the morphometric characteristic of 31 mountain fronts and 61 valleys of Dashtekhak district. Data is given in table form.The data is prepared on the basis of field work and laboratory analysis.

2. Experimental design, materials and methods

Morphotectonic investigation is an effective tool to enable us to detect and distinguish the procedures that occur on the landforms. Erosion and tectonic movements leave their imprints as a morphological components which their measurement is the best approach to relate the landforms with the neotectonic evolution of the area [1], [2].

In order to achieve the most accurate data, the analysis was undertaken on topographic maps in 1:10,000 scale. Landsat Satellite images and 1:50,000 scale aerial photographs beside advantages of google earth software are used to locate and measure precisely the mountain fronts and valleys geomorphic specifications. The analysis comprised the calculation of morphotectonic indices (smf, Facet%, Vf, V) for 31 mountain fronts and 61 valleys, according to the mathematical relationships which are presented on Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, Table 4, Table 5.

Table 1.

Formulas for calculating the morphotectonic indices. Smf: sinuosity of mountain fronts, Lmf: mountain front length along the foot of the mountain, Ls: the length of the straight line of the mountain front, Facet%: the percentage of the mountain front faceting, Lf: total length of facets in a mountain front, Vf: the valley floor width to height ratio, Vfw: the width of the valley floor, Eld: the elevation of the left valley divides, Erd: the elevation of the right valley divides, Esc: the elevation of the valley floor, V: Valley ratio, Av: the area of the valley, Ac: the area of the semi-circle with an equivalent radius of valley depth.

Morphotectonic index Formula
smf Smf=Lmf/Ls
Facet% Facet%=(Lf/Ls)
Vf Vf=2Vfw/[(Eld-Esc)+(Erd−Esc)]
V V=Av/Ac
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Table 2.

Data which is used for determination of mountain front sinuosity index.

Front no. Lmf(m) Ls(m) Smf
F1 482 381 1.27
F2 164 148 1.11
F3 845 589 1.43
F4 912 673 1.36
F5 441 323 1.37
F6 1092 914 1.19
F7 837 684 1.22
F8 2078 1628 1.28
F9 1084 906 1.20
F10 1100 941 1.17
F11 2029 1818 1.12
F12 1693 1315 1.29
F13 1696 1514 1.12
F14 1742 1439 1.21
F15 3789 2919 1.30
F16 601 517 1.16
F17 1580 1377 1.15
F18 1627 1181 1.38
F19 1471 1310 1.12
F20 885 692 1.28
F21 2265 1772 1.28
F22 778 597 1.30
F23 2663 2002 1.33
F24 1872 1668 1.12
F25 2616 2258 1.16
F26 7308 6332 1.15
F27 2389 1980 1.21
F28 2894 2343 1.24
F29 807 712 1.13
F30 936 870 1.08
F31 726 832 0.87
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Table 3.

Data which is used for determination of mountain front faceting index.

Front no. Ls (m) Lf (m) Facet%
F1 381 325.4 85.4%
F2 148 137 92.6%
F3 589 504.4 85.6%
F4 673 637.5 94.7%
F5 323 263.9 81.7%
F6 914 832 91.0%
F7 684 568 83.0%
F8 1628 1452 89.2%
F9 906 837 92.4%
F10 941 936 99.5%
F11 1818 1678 92.3%
F12 1315 1278 97.2%
F13 1514 1305 86.2%
F14 1439 1367 95.0%
F15 2919 2696 92.4%
F16 517 516 99.8%
F17 1377 1332 96.7%
F18 1181 1016 86.0%
F19 1310 1297 99.0%
F20 692 631 91.2%
F21 1772 1656.8 93.5%
F22 597 551 92.3%
F23 2002 1968.2 98.3%
F24 1668 1524 91.4%
F25 2258 2068 91.6%
F26 6332 5939 93.8%
F27 1980 1930 97.5%
F28 2343 2089 89.2%
F29 712 646 90.7%
F30 870 542 62.3%
F31 832 511 61.4%
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Table 4.

Data which is used for determination of Vf index.

Valley no. Eld Erd Esc Vfm Vf
1 2094 2112 2031 61 0.85
2 2210 2269 2122 101 0.86
3 2438 2338 2243 74 0.51
4 2092 2044 2021 41 0.87
5 2228 2225 2134 76 0.82
6 2335 2395 2250 158 1.37
7 2459 2524 2373 131 1.11
8 2155 2138 2089 39 0.68
9 2283 2226 2178 50 0.65
10 2460 2417 2320 123 1.04
11 2261 2241 2221 26 0.87
12 2273 2275 2167 111 1.04
13 2439 2439 2334 67 0.64
14 2400 2404 2348 48 0.89
15 2365 2382 2245 73 0.57
16 2343 2367 2224 114 0.87
17 2270 2283 2212 75 1.16
18 2284 2294 2181 95 0.88
19 2452 2418 2346 82 0.92
20 2485 2541 2418 133 1.40
21 2475 2472 2291 104 0.57
22 2093 2116 2029 80 1.06
23 2150 2223 2050 98 0.72
24 2300 2286 2248 162 3.60
25 2225 2229 2168 67 1.14
26 2241 2199 2160 83 1.38
27 2318 2301 2261 71 1.46
28 2173 2166 2119 55 1.09
29 2124 2142 2070 76 1.21
30 2161 2184 2103 137 1.97
31 2131 2140 2097 71 1.84
32 2118 2076 2039 65 1.12
33 2076 2115 2048 101 2.13
34 2266 2239 2091 170 1.05
35 2061 2070 2002 88 1.39
36 2102 2095 2047 89 1.73
37 2211 2244 2153 113 1.52
38 2070 2074 2051 54 2.57
39 2170 2139 2119 106 2.99
40 2286 2283 2254 67 2.20
41 2104 2088 2053 113 2.63
42 2152 2177 2110 148 2.72
43 2196 2201 2131 122 1.81
44 2182 2188 2150 96 2.74
45 2164 2186 2137 56 1.47
46 2095 2096 2070 93 3.65
47 2245 2224 2164 138 1.96
48 2186 2114 1985 186 1.13
49 2240 2218 2151 65 0.83
50 2346 2321 2253 107 1.33
51 2221 2213 2099 329 2.79
52 2258 2294 2173 99 0.96
53 2385 2351 2265 132 1.28
54 2470 2449 2386 107 1.46
55 2349 2344 2289 81 1.41
56 2189 2205 2106 260 2.86
57 2256 2256 2160 168 1.75
58 2220 2215 2145 127 1.75
59 2397 2326 2219 96 0.67
60 2477 2591 2249 126 0.44
61 2339 2331 2237 50 0.51
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Table 5.

Data which is used for determination of V ratio index.

Valley no. Av h Ac V ratio
1 3636 61 5842 0.62
2 6480 87 11,883 0.55
3 8284 90 12,717 0.65
4 278 16 402 0.69
5 6923 80 10,048 0.69
6 10,847 85 11,343 0.96
7 8101 88 12,158 0.67
8 1498 49 3770 0.40
9 2265 48 3617 0.63
10 7482 97 14,772 0.51
11 211 15 353 0.60
12 8179 105 17,309 0.47
13 7392 106 17,641 0.42
14 2187 52 4245 0.52
15 14,598 120 22,608 0.65
16 14,755 119 22,233 0.66
17 3971 58 5281 0.75
18 11,190 103 16,656 0.67
19 4715 72 8139 0.58
20 6640 67 7048 0.94
21 26,013 181 51,435 0.51
22 4620 64 6431 0.72
23 9863 100 15,700 0.63
24 2309 38 2267 1.02
25 4205 57 5101 0.82
26 1776 39 2388 0.74
27 2028 40 2512 0.81
28 2416 47 3468 0.70
29 3863 54 4578 0.84
30 3902 58 5281 0.74
31 1377 34 1815 0.76
32 1657 37 2149 0.77
33 1065 28 1231 0.87
34 28,612 148 34,389 0.83
35 5284 59 5465 0.97
36 2854 48 3617 0.79
37 4012 58 5281 0.76
38 507 19 567 0.89
39 651 20 628 1.04
40 1139 29 1320 0.86
41 2055 35 1923 1.07
42 2123 42 2769 0.77
43 5109 65 6633 0.77
44 1710 32 1608 1.06
45 1243 27 1145 1.09
46 1068 25 981 1.09
47 4830 60 5652 0.85
48 27,017 129 26,126 1.03
49 5799 67 7048 0.82
50 4624 68 7260 0.64
51 19,535 114 20,404 0.96
52 9052 85 11,343 0.80
53 9107 86 11,612 0.78
54 13,919 103 16,656 0.84
55 3525 55 4749 0.74
56 11,173 83 10,816 1.03
57 15,774 96 14,469 1.09
58 5679 70 7693 0.74
59 10,109 107 17,975 0.56
60 41,221 228 81,615 0.51
61 7950 94 13873 0.57
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The sinuosity and faceting of mountain fronts are useful morphotectonic indices that reflect the balance between erosional and tectonic forces. So that, if the tectonic activity decreases, erosion process begins to form the sinusoidal mountain fronts which turns more irregular over time. For Smf the closer the data to 1.0 is thought to be a tectonically highly active mountain front while the higher values belong to less active regions. For Facet% index, large percentages reflect high level of tectonic activity in the mountain fronts. Therefore, the mountain fronts influenced by active uplifting are almost straight and their Smf indices roughly equal 1 and Facet% around 100%. Vf and V are valuable morphometric indices to quantitatively differentiate the shape of a valley along its cross section. High values of these indices indicate U-shaped valleys that associated with low tectonic activity, while low values show deep V-shaped ones indicating active uplift [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9].

Funding sources

This work is part of a MSc thesis of Ali Fadaie Kermani and was funded by Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran (93127003).

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Ahmad Abbasnejad and Dr. Shahbaz Radfar for their scientific and helpful comments.

Footnotes

Transparency document

Transparency document associated with this article can be found in the online version at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2017.08.052.

Transparency document. Supplementary material

Fig S1.

Fig S1

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